MERCEDES-AMG: RACE-BRED PERFORMANCE, THE BOOK
Preciously rare photography and a compelling story distinguish this new book from Matt DeLorenzo about the legacy of Mercedes-AMG.
By Glenn Oyoung
Mon, Dec 8, 2025 06:00 AM PST
Featured image above: AMGs starting with the Red Pig on the right and moving left to the present and future (all images courtesy of Motorbooks and the Quarto Group).
AMG has always sat in that fun zone between refinement and pure rebellion, and Matt DeLorenzo really leans into that in Mercedes-AMG: Race-Bred Performance.
He walks through the big eras from the wild Red Pig days to today’s GT models and shows how two racing-obsessed engineers managed to change the course of Mercedes-Benz.
I have a soft spot for AMG’s early years. The Red Pig era just speaks to me.
Cars were loud, raw, and alive in a way we do not see anymore.
Think big horsepower, zero electronic handholding, Gulf Racing vibes, and disco on the radio.
Then came the DTM years, and AMG showed up ready to win. You can still feel that energy baked into the streetcars like the vaunted Black Series.
The photography is fantastic, which is exactly what I expect from publisher Motorbooks. The big, clean shots give every car real presence.
Long-hood classics. Black Series monsters. Early supercharged V8 troublemakers. The newer machines carrying the badge forward.
At just over 200 pages, the book covers a lot, but AMG’s winning history is too deep to fit into one round.
You finish wanting more. More engines. More stories. More of the crazy projects that built the legend.
A sequel is in order.
For longtime AMG fans, this is an easy yes.
For newcomers, it is a fantastic introduction to why those three letters hit as hard as they do.
And if you’ve ever smiled hearing a V8 rumble under a disco beat, this book is for you. – Glenn Oyoung
Mercedes-AMG: Race-Bred Performance
Author: Matt DeLorenzo
Publisher : Motorbooks
Publication date : November 4, 2025
Language : English
Print length : 224 pages
ISBN-10 : 0760394458
ISBN-13 : 978-0760394458
Item Weight : 3.83 pounds
Dimensions : 10.15 x 0.95 x 12.5 inches
Publishing November 4th, 2025 by Motorbooks, an imprint of The Quarto Group.
Hardcover, 224 pages ∙ $55 USD, $72 CAN
Available locally in LA at Autobooks-Aerobooks in Burbank.
About The Author
Glenn Oyoung is a marketer based in Los Angeles. Glenn’s lifelong passion for cars is rooted in playing with Hot Wheels, and has continued into 1:1 scale. He’s the former marketing director of American Racing, author of ‘vehicular alphabet books’ “C is for Car” and "P is for Petersen" in collaboration with the Petersen Automotive Museum. His passion for cars extends to his role as the founder of the monthly car meet Carcadia at Route 66, the most diverse car meet in the San Gabriel Valley.
